This adventurous 4×4 overland photo workshop is designed to get into the heart and soul of the Bolivian Altiplano, focusing on the wild south-western corner, led by Sergio Ballivian.

We will be spending most of our time within the regions of the Salar de Uyuni and south, deep in the Sud Lipez region and then east towards the badlands of Tupiza. These places will leave you breathless – not only due to the beauty but the altitude as well. In order to acclimatize properly we will make our way south, gaining altitude slowly, while visiting surreal locations. The plan is to be at the places that are most spectacular during the best times of day for photographing the grand landscape and wildlife of this region.

The prime season is from early April to mid November (our dry season) when the roads are in good shape for travel after the rainy season (December-March). The months between May and August are cold as it is winter (with very rare snow) but offer the best climatic and travel conditions. The Altiplano is a high, cold and dry region most of the year so prepare for cold temperatures at night and comfortable to chilly temperatures during the day. The landscapes are so spectacular you will focus on making amazing photos of an awe-inspiring landscape that promises to deliver beautiful light, convoluted and rugged landscapes, glacier-covered volcanoes and shimmering multi-colored lagoons full of pink flamingos. The Altiplano is an amazing landscape and offers surprises to new and frequent visitors alike. We have often experienced the most amazing sunsets on the Salar de Uyuni and Laguna Colorada!

Prices are in US $ and include all services as per the itinerary.

International airfare is NOT included in this itinerary. For airline tickets, please contact our ticketing agent GEO Travel 1-800-938-7285.

Anyone can book a single spot on any tour at any time. These prices reflect the cost for one person, based on the total number of fully-paid people booked on a trip. If you have more people in your group and/or if the total number of people rises, the cost per person goes down. These prices are NOT based on a person or complete group bringing in a set amount of people on a tour. As more people book a spot on a tour the lower price is spread among all the participants. Thus we encourage you to include friends and family to join you so everyone gets a lower price.

– 2016 Dates –

May 29 – June 11, 2016 SOLD OUT

September 4-17, 2016 SOLD OUT

October 15-31, 2016 SOLD OUT

November 2-15, 2016

– 2017 Dates –

June 11-24, 2017

July 2-15, 2017

September 3-16, 2017

October 1-4, 2017

Please note: We can run this trip at any time, so please let us know your date preferences and we will create a custom departure date for you and your group.

– Itinerary –

Depart from home

Typically, flights to Bolivia depart late in the evening from Miami and arrive in La Paz the next morning. Depending on your airline, you would arrive at different times on day 1 in La Paz. Please let us know your flight info so we can coordinate pick-ups and other services.

Day 1: Arrival in La Paz, Bolivia – City Tour
Arrive in La Paz early in the AM. The altitude at El Alto International Airport is 13,200 ft and is on the Altiplano, so it’s common to feel symptoms of light-headedness, shortness of breath and slight nausea upon arrival. After doing immigration and customs you’ll be met by us at the general passenger meeting point where you will board our private vehicle and head down into La Paz, loosing altitude quickly, and likely feeling much better. We suggest you have a basic photo kit easily accessible so you can take photos along the way. The hotel is located in the Valley of the Moon sector at the lowest level of La Paz (approximately around 10,500’) where you will check in and rest, relax or sleep for the rest of the morning. Lunch at the hotel. At 2 PM we begin a 3-hour city tour of this fascinating city deep in the heart of the Andes; visiting the busy downtown, the open air markets, and the colonial neighborhoods with great views of the city. Dinner is on your own tonight and we recommend a light dinner at the hotel. Avoid alcohol and caffeine tonight and drink plenty of water and mate de coca during the day. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*). (L)

Day 2: La Paz – Tiwanaku & Lake Titicaca – La Paz

Continuing the acclimatization process and still see amazing things we head to Tiwanaku and Lake Titicaca on a day trip today. We depart to Tiwanaku after breakfast for an in-depth tour of this pre-Inca port city with a professional bi-lingual guide who will explain the history of Tiwanaku, the Incas and the ties with modern Bolivian society. Lunch in Tiwanaku. A short drive puts us on the shores of Lake Titicaca to see it’s beautiful blue waters, the highest navigable lake in the world at 12,500 ft asl. We journey back to La Paz in the afternoon crossing the Andes once again and be back at the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner on your own tonight. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*). (B,L)

Day 3: La Paz – Uyuni

Our destination today is Uyuni, the gateway city to the Salar de Uyuni (approximately a 9-hour drive, depending on road conditions) with a great variety of Altiplano terrain to enjoy en-route. After climbing out of the canyon of La Paz we head south on the paved road towards Oruro (a mining city and famous Carnaval venue) in order to gas up and have lunch. We continue south (in between Lake Poopo to the west and the Andes mountains to the east) along the Altiplano with ever-changing interesting vistas until the paved road ends. From here a few more hours on dirt roads will get us to Colchani, the entryway to the Salar de Uyuni, and 30 more minutes puts us in Uyuni. After a refresh and rest we head out for dinner in Uyuni. Overnight at Hotel La Magia de Uyuni (3*) (B,L,D)

Day 4: Uyuni – Salar de Uyuni – Tahua

We begin the day with a visit to the train graveyard, just outside of Uyuni where locomotives of the steam engine era lie and rust away with the ages. We return north to Colchani to see the salt miners gathering salt and get a sense of the manual labor required to mine tons of salt on a yearly basis, all of it done by hand with picks and shovels. We enter the Uyuni Salt Flats and fly directly west to the center and Incahuasi Island where we will have time for a walk to the top of the island before having lunch. Afterwards, we head north towards Thunupa Volcano – the looming matriarch rising above everything else in the area. We exit via the village of Jirira which sits below Thunupa Volcano and then west on a rough dirt road to Coquesa where we’ll visit mummies in a cave on the flanks of this dormant volcano. We finish the day in the village of Tahua in a hotel made of salt in time for dinner. Overnight at Hotel Tayka de Sal (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 5: Tahua – Salar de Uyuni – San Pedro de Quemez

Our destination is the heart of the Sud Lipez region today. Re-entering the salar from the north, we drive over the flat, hard-packed salt flat to one of a few southern entry/exit points below scarred volcanoes and meandering lava flows. The further south we go, the Altiplano gains height although you will not notice it, until you try to walk or run when we stop for breaks along the way. After crossing the muddy remnants of a salar we end up in the village of San Pedro de Quemez, surrounded by lava flows and imposing volcanoes on all sides. After check-in there is time to enjoy some rest or go for a walk in the village to see what the locals are doing. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Tayka de Piedra (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 6: San Pedro de Quemez – Ojo de Perdiz

Crossing the Salar de Chiguana south of San Pedro you will feel like you were transported to the moon. Gaining height as we head ever closer to Eduardo Avaroa National Wildlife Reserve in the extreme southwestern corner of Bolivia you’ll wonder how do people actually live here? Today we will have plenty of time to stop and take pictures along the way of volcanoes and vast landscapes and have lunch en route. We should arrive at Ojo de Perdiz in the late afternoon, a location that is surrounded by a painted high-altitude desert of red, beige and rust colors surrounded by the rugged, crumbling Andes mountains. Dinner and rest. Overnight at Hotel del Desierto (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 7: Ojo de Perdiz – Laguna Colorada

We continue south along multi-colored high-altitude deserts surrounded by volcanoes, salt flats, lava flows and herds of wild vicuna. Before arriving in Laguna Colorada we pass next to the stone tree, a remnant of a lava flow that has been eroded over eons into a sculpture that resembles an acacia tree with the crown on top. We will arrive in Laguna Colorada in the late morning and head to the peninsula where the best viewing options are for pink flamingos (three species) which live, breed and call this red lagoon home. The red lagoon is one of the prime locations for photography of the vast high-altitude deserts and wildlife so we will maximize our time here as much as possible. We will check into our basic accommodations for the night before heading out in time for sunset at the lagoon. Dinner and basic overnight accommodations at Laguna Colorada. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Laguna Colorada – Laguna Verde – Quetena Chico

We depart early after breakfast and head south to Laguna Verde that lies below Llicancabur Volcano (19,600′/5,960m) that stradles the Bolivia-Chile border. Along the way there will be innumerable opportunities to photograph moon-like landscapes of volcanoes, multi-colored deserts, eroding lava flows, sandy washes and schizophrenic rock outcrops as well as wildlife. You will have an opportunity to soak in Chalviri hot springs after visiting the Sol de Manana geyser field. Make sure you have your bathing suit and a towel handy. Lunch en route. The journey is an incredible one that covers the highlights of the Sud Lipez region surrounded by 18-20 thousand ft volcanoes! This is a high-altitude region (average road height is about 14,000 ft, with passes over 16,000 ft!) and tends to be cold and windy so be prepared for those conditions. We head northeast to the town of Quetena Chico and arrive around sunset. Dinner and basic overnight accommodations in Quetena Chico. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Quetena Chico – San Pablo de Lipez

Today is a long day so we will need to depart soon after an early breakfast. You will see more of the spectacular landscape found in the Sud Lipez region full of multi-colored lagoons, salt flats, lava flows, andean puna marshes, rocky canyons and sandy desert landscapes – always changing, never the same. Lunch en route. The canyons offer a never-ending kaleidoscope of colors and geographic wonders around every corner. Continuing northeast to San Pablo de Lipez, we will cross a series of rivers before arriving in a perfect location for sunsets as the pampas, and rocky mountains catch the setting suns’ full effect. After a rest and shower we’ll meet for dinner at the hotel. Overnight at Hotel Los Volcanes in San Pablo de Lipez (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 10: San Pablo de Lipez – Tupiza

The drive climbs over a series of mountain ranges and goes into deep canyons before emerging into the open sky. The terrain changes all the time and we will see deep reds, yellows and greens all over the landscape as we motor east towards Tupiza, the only major town in the area. Keep an eye out for condors as they are common here. The drive will keep us high above the rugged canyons for some time until we come to the edge of a cut in the geography and below us will be the town of Tupiza, surrounded by grey and red rock canyons and eroded badlands. This truly is one of Bolivia’s most spectacular vistas and we should be arriving around sunset when these hills come alive with colors. After dropping a few thousand feet into the canyon we will enjoy Tupizas’ temperate climate. After check-in and a break we get to enjoy Tupizas’ restaurant options. Overnight at Hotel Mitru (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 11: Tupiza – Atocha – Uyuni

We depart from the multi-layered canyons of Tupiza northwest towards Atocha and eventually to Uyuni. The route takes us over river valleys, undulating pampas covered in cactus and over passes that guard secrets to hidden valleys where farmers produce a great variety of food for the cities of Atocha, Potosi, Tupiza and Uyuni. At one point we will be able to see the city of Potosi, far off on the horizon but clearly identifiable – we will be there the next day! The scenery is quite subtle yet spectacular and we’ll have time to enjoy the details along the way when we stop for breaks. Lunch en route. We should arrive in Uyuni in the late afternoon. Time for rest and refreshments before heading out to dinner. Overnight at Hotel La Magia de Uyuni (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 12: Uyuni – Potosi

Our direction today is northeast to Potosi – the sky-high imperial colonial city that made the Spanish rich. The drive is a little over 3 hours on a new paved road and very impressive. The terrain and scenery along the way encompasses river canyons, rugged mountains and mining centers, still active after centuries of exploitation. The red earth and weeping willows are a beautiful contrast to the desert-like Altiplano we just left. In the late morning we will arrive in the world’s highest major city, Potosi that sits at 3,960m/12,989′ asl. and its’ height will take your breath away. We will have lunch in Potosi upon arrival. After checking-in to our hotel we visit the Casa de la Moneda, the Spanish Mint, where we will get a lesson in the cultural complexity that is part of the Bolivian historical tapestry. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Hostal Santa Teresa (3*). (B,L,D)

Day 13: Potosi – Cayara

Today we get to experience what truly manual labor is all about. We are partaking of a brief visit to a mine cooperative in the heart of the Cerro Rico in the morning. The visit will put in perspective the struggle these miners have in making a living underground using antiquated methods – not an easy life. After the sobering visit, we’ll have lunch then head down and spend the night in a colonial-era hacienda called Cayara. This is a living museum and working hacienda and a great place to re-live Bolivia’s colorful history and see how life in the Spanish colonial era was like. The hacienda sits well below Potosi and is about 30-minutes away next to an idyllic village made of stone walls and multi-colored cultural plots. We freshen-up before having dinner at the hostal. Overnight at Hostal Cayara (3*) (B,L,D)

Day 14: Cayara – Oruro – La Paz

The drive to La Paz is long but pretty spectacular because it stays high in the mountains for the first half of the trip and it’s on a paved road all the way to La Paz so, it’s fast and comfortable. Along the way you will see multi-colored valleys, high peaks, green puna with llamas and alpacas grazing. The closer we get to La Paz you will see the glacier-covered peaks of the Cordillera Real rising above the Altiplano. The scenery is truly amazing and should provide plenty of visual appeal along the entire route. We should arrive in La Paz in the early evening. Group dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate a wonderful and adventurous journey of the Bolivian highland region. Overnight at Hotel El Rey Palace (4*). (B,L,D)

Tonight marks the official end of this photo tour but we provide complimentary shuttle service to the airport the next day. Please let us know your flight schedule ahead of time to coordinate the shuttle service.

Day 15: La Paz – Home

We provide a complimentary shuttle service to the airport for those departing today.

End of our services.

Below is a regional map of the route we will take (subject to change) as we cover the length and width of the incomparable and extremely photogenic Bolivian Altiplano.